What is the advice regarding the mixing of relatives?
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Question:
The mixing of relatives is common, such as between cousins, kin, and others. Since I have advised my relatives about this, but they did not listen, as they say: "We have lived with this, and we were raised with it together, and we are relatives, and we are confident in one another!" And since our intentions are good with one another, and since when they engage in this mixing it hurts my heart, to the point that sometimes I think about not visiting them, since, praise be to Allah, my family does not expose themselves to any of them at this time, and I have advised them, even my father, but they did not care about it, so what do you advise me to do? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The obligatory thing is what you did: advice and guidance; because bad habits are not an excuse. Bad habits must be removed. The polytheists were upon the habits of worshipping idols and statues, killing daughters, and other such vile needs, so the Shari'ah came with the prohibition of them and their removal. So every person must seek what the Shari'ah brought, so that he removes the blameworthy habit. He has no excuse that his ancestors followed it, or his father, or his mother, or his neighbors. No, this is not an excuse. This is the excuse of the disbelievers: [Surah al-Zukhruf: 23]. This is the excuse of the disbelievers—may Allah protect us from that.
So the obligatory thing is to remove bad habits. You must continue in advice and guidance to good, and your brothers who are with you likewise: from your neighbors and your good companions, so that the efforts are intensive. Seek help from Allah, then from your good brothers, whether relatives, neighbors, or known people, so that they advise with you, so that they help you. And in this way, bad habits will be removed, if Allah wills.
As for cutting them off, no, do not cut them off. But you must persist in advice, seriousness, and lowering the gaze, until the evil is removed and the good is achieved, if Allah wills.
The mixing of relatives is common, such as between cousins, kin, and others. Since I have advised my relatives about this, but they did not listen, as they say: "We have lived with this, and we were raised with it together, and we are relatives, and we are confident in one another!" And since our intentions are good with one another, and since when they engage in this mixing it hurts my heart, to the point that sometimes I think about not visiting them, since, praise be to Allah, my family does not expose themselves to any of them at this time, and I have advised them, even my father, but they did not care about it, so what do you advise me to do? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The obligatory thing is what you did: advice and guidance; because bad habits are not an excuse. Bad habits must be removed. The polytheists were upon the habits of worshipping idols and statues, killing daughters, and other such vile needs, so the Shari'ah came with the prohibition of them and their removal. So every person must seek what the Shari'ah brought, so that he removes the blameworthy habit. He has no excuse that his ancestors followed it, or his father, or his mother, or his neighbors. No, this is not an excuse. This is the excuse of the disbelievers:
Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly] guided."
إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُقْتَدُونَSo the obligatory thing is to remove bad habits. You must continue in advice and guidance to good, and your brothers who are with you likewise: from your neighbors and your good companions, so that the efforts are intensive. Seek help from Allah, then from your good brothers, whether relatives, neighbors, or known people, so that they advise with you, so that they help you. And in this way, bad habits will be removed, if Allah wills.
As for cutting them off, no, do not cut them off. But you must persist in advice, seriousness, and lowering the gaze, until the evil is removed and the good is achieved, if Allah wills.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.